Marry Me?
by MinnieBSB
Summary: "Are you satisfied with only being Detective Stabler?" EO goodness, slightly AU.
1. Marry Me?

**AN: Hello there! There are probably like a million reasons why I shouldn't be starting another story, but I'm going to anyway. This story is kind of AU, meaning that details of Elliot's life are different. I don't want to give much away, so here we go! Please let me know what you think! Love y'all!**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Law and Order SVU or the characters.**

Olivia looked over at the clock, wishing she could will time to move faster. Three more minutes and then they could leave and not come back until Monday. She loved her job, but she needed a break. That, and she was looking forward to the evening she had planned. She glanced at the clock again, practically jumping out of her chair when she realized that she was now free.

"Eager to get out of here?" Elliot teased.

She shrugged. "Are you coming?"

He chuckled and grabbed his coat. She tossed him the keys to the car before heading to the elevator. Each step was accompanied with an extra sway of her hips, but she was sure Elliot didn't mind it. In fact, she could feel his eyes on her. They stepped into the elevator together, standing shoulder to shoulder.

"Chinese?" Elliot asked, assuming that he was right.

"Actually, I made dinner already".

He cocked a brow, silently questioning her.

"You'll see" was all that she said.

Elliot stood back and waited as Olivia unlocked her door. She was grinning ear to ear as she spoke, but he was too caught up in her pearly whites to listen to a word she said. He followed her into the apartment, setting his coat on the back of the couch. Then he saw it out of the corner of his eyes.

"Wow, Liv. This looks...amazing" He complimented as he made his way to the table. She had taken the time to set two places, even using her special cloth napkins. A single candle acted as the centerpiece, making him smile. She had done so much this morning to make everything look nice. What was the special occasion though? His birthday wasn't for another four months and her birthday...Oh dear God it wasn't her birthday, right? No, that wasn't until January.

"Take a seat, El" Olivia insisted.

"I hope you like pot roast and potatoes".

"Sounds great". He sat down and put his napkin in his lap, trying not to be nervous. He hadn't seen this side of Olivia before. Olivia took the empty plates into the kitchen, giving each of them a nice portion. She came back balancing their plates and a bottle of wine.

"Dig in".

She watched as he took his first bite, trying to gauge his reaction. He decided to have some fun with it, chewing dramatically slow. She rolled her eyes, suppressing a laugh.

"How is it?"

Elliot began to cough, adding some ridiculously gross gagging noises just for fun. He relished in her laughter. "It's delicious, Liv. Where did you learn how to make this?"

Olivia swirled her wine, avoiding eye contact like she usually did when someone complimented her. "My uh, my mom taught me".

They settled into a comfortable silence as they ate, occasionally sneaking glances at each other. By the end of the meal Elliot's curiosity was through the roof.

"That was an amazing meal, but I have to ask, what's the occasion?"

She opened her mouth to speak, quickly closing it again. The wheels in her head were definitely turning, yet nothing was coming out.

"How about we move to the couch?"

She suggested already moving, wine in hand. Elliot occupied the opposite end of the sofa, making sure to give Olivia enough space.

"El, how long have you been single now?"

He drank the rest of his glass before answering. "Five years".

"And are you happy?"

He was taken aback by that question.

"I uh, I guess?"

"Well, Elliot, I'm not. I'm not happy with where my life is right now. I haven't had a second date in over a year, and the first ones have been horrible, and that's putting it kindly. My work family is my only family, and I love the guys, but that's not what I wanted with my life. I was supposed to be married and have three kids by now. Don't get me wrong, the job is my life, but I see that as more of a bad thing now. Well not a bad thing exactly, just...I want more, El. Are you satisfied with only being Detective Stabler?"

He knew the answer to that one. "No, I'm not satisfied".

"That's exactly why I wanted to talk to you about the possibility of changing that".

Elliot gave her a questioning look, but stayed silent to let her speak.

"I propose that we get married...to each other".

It was quiet enough in there to hear a pin drop, and the tension could be cut with a knife. It wasn't awkward though. Olivia simply waited for him to process what she suggested. Unlike the flabbergasted man next to her, she had months to think the whole situation through. She could see Elliot thinking, and that alone reassured her even more.

"So, you think that we should get married?"

"It's an idea" She shrugged.

"How would it work? Would it be a _normal_ marriage?"

"El, what exactly are you asking me?"

He huffed. "I mean, will we be married and living like roommates so we're not alone, or married and living like we're married?"

Olivia couldn't keep in her giggle.

"Are you asking me about sex?"

A rosy blush crept up on his cheeks, giving him away. "It's an important thing to consider" He defended.

"It is, and I for one enjoy it, so if you agree you better be up for it".

She paused for a moment to take in his response, but he was so lost in his thoughts that she doubted that he heard her.

"Look, El, you have as long as you need to decide. I'm not going to be offended if you say no. It's pretty out there".

Elliot reached out, placing his hand on her shoulder. "Liv, I want to take you out to dinner tomorrow so we can talk about this a little more".

"Sounds great".


	2. Nerves

**AN: Two chapters at once? No way! There will be more to the story so stay tuned! Love y'all.**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Law and Order SVU or the characters**

Elliot Stabler had seen Olivia Benson all gussied up on many occasions. Most of those occasions were her dates with other men, men that didn't stand a chance with her. Then there were the half dozen police balls that they had attended, but she would only wear a conservative dress and flats. Now, here he was, standing in front of the very same Olivia, who was dressed to the nines. Her attire for the evening had to be the best he had ever seen. She wore a red dress that showed just the right amount of cleavage, and silver, sparkly pumps that accentuated her already long, toned legs. She gave him an amused smile, clearly enjoying appreciation.

"You look beautiful, Olivia".

"Thank you, and you're very handsome, Elliot".

He offered her his arm, doing his very best to be a gentlemen. No matter what the outcome, tonight would be a big night for them.

Olivia's nerves didn't set in until they arrived at the restaurant. Elliot paid for the cab and for some reason that's when she began to panic. There was a good chance that they would sit down and enjoy a lovely evening together, but Elliot turns her down. Which would completely crush her though she'd play it off as if she thought it was a crazy idea to begin with. At the same time, he could say yes. He could think that making her the future was a wonderful idea. It was the uncertainty that was killing her. The next thing she knew, they were seated and reading over the menu. Once their orders were taken, Elliot began to speak.

"I've thought about your proposition, well actually, I haven't been able to stop thinking about it".

He could feel Olivia's leg bouncing underneath the table. In some sense, knowing that she was nervous too was comforting to him. He placed his hand over hers, giving it a gentle squeeze.

"This was a crazy idea" She grimaced.

He could _feel_ that she was about to run.

"Liv, please, hear me out?" He plead.

She nodded, trying to maintain eye contact.

"As you know, I've done the whole marriage thing before and it didn't go well. Kathy lied to me and told me that I got her pregnant so I would propose. I have to tell you, Liv, that despite that experience, my first thought was to say yes, to marry you".

She looked confused, but he didn't miss how she moved her fingers so that they were laced with his.

"You are an amazing woman, Olivia, and I've been lucky enough to call you my partner and best friend for the last decade. I think that being your husband would be the greatest journey of my life. There wasn't much for me to think about, except which ring to get you".

He moved so that he was kneeling down in front of her on one knee. Tears stained her cheeks, but she was smiling through them.

"Olivia Margaret Benson…I know that it was your idea, but will you marry me?"

She nodded "Yes!" They both smiled as he slid the ring onto her finger. He cupped her face, carefully brushing away her tears.

"May I kiss you?"

"Of course".

Everyone's eyes were on them, but in that moment, neither of them cared. He could feel her smiling against his lips, only adding to the fireworks. He pulled back, resting his forehead against hers.

"Let's go home" He suggested with a little something in his tone that she hadn't heard before.

"What about dinner?"

"Already handled" Elliot reassured with a wink. He helped her stand, leading her back to the entrance. They were stopped multiple times on their way out by fellow patrons that wished to congratulate them. The two of them were beaming by the time they made it to the door.

Their waiter handed Elliot a bag that by the smell, Olivia guessed their food was in. Elliot took some money out of his pocket, handing it to the other man. A car waited for them outside. Olivia was impressed to say the least.

"You planned this all out".

"Only the best for my fiance".

The word sent a shiver down her spine. Part of her couldn't believe that Elliot had agreed to her crazy idea. The other part was angry that she hadn't done it sooner. The ride to his apartment was silent, but that was because they were too busy exchanging sweet, chaste kisses.

Elliot unlocked his apartment, quickly scooping Olivia up in his arms. She threw her head back laughing, enjoying Elliot's struggle to carry her and the food into the apartment. He set her down on the couch, stealing one more kiss.

"Well, El, what do we do now?"


	3. Happy

**AN: Hello! I'm so glad to see that people are at least interested in reading more. Thank you! I think that this chapter is still kind of setting things up, but it's the last of it's kind. We will be moving forward after this one. Love y'all!**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Law and Order SVU or the characters.**

Olivia sat against the headboard with her food in her lap, intently watching the movie Elliot had put on. They decided to eat in bed and watch tv, and she was enjoying herself. Elliot's arm was around her shoulder, and it felt natural. They fit well together, and the thought made her smile.

"What are you smiling about?" Elliot asked, moving her empty container off of her lap and onto the end table.

"Us" She sighed. "I know that this is crazy".

Elliot shook his head. "No, it's not crazy. It's us. We aren't conventional people, Liv".

She chuckled. "I know".

"I have to ask though, why did you choose now to ask me?"

"Honestly, our relationship is the longest I've ever had with a man. You are my best friend Elliot, and I think that we can do this. We can get married, have children, and be happy together. We've known each other for so long that we don't have to go through that dating stage. You know everything about me,even the things that I wish I could forget, and you're still here. I know that you have your demons too, but I could never not be in your life. You make me happy, simple as that. I know that doesn't explain why I want to do this so fast but-"

Elliot cut her off with his lips, taking both her breath and her thought away. When he pulled back, he saw that she was trying to get her train of thought back.

"I'm sorry, but how was I supposed to resist kissing you after that?"

She rested her head against his shoulder, taking in the moment. Everything was happening so fast, but that was the plan. They weren't getting any younger, so why wait to be happy?

"I think I get why we're doing it like this though" Elliot started, looking down at her. "I think that you want us to get married as soon as possible so we can have the fresh start that comes with such a big change. You want to be Olivia Stabler, wife, mom, and detective".

Hearing him call her Olivia Stabler gave her butterflies in her stomach. He had hit it right on the mark. She wanted to start over and have a clean slate, and to have the family that she had dreamed of ever since she was a little girl.

"You figured that all out on your own? Good job, detective" She teased, trying to keep the mood light.

"I figured that out because I feel the same way, Liv. I don't doubt that there will be arguments and struggles ahead, but I think that we can handle it. I just want to end this chapter of my life, and start the next one with you".

She wasn't surprised that he understood where she was coming from. That's just another example of why she proposed this set up. At the same time, she was slightly disappointed in them. They were engaged and yet neither of them had stepped up and actually used the words that they needed to hear. He had to love her, or he wouldn't have asked her to marry him and bought such a beautiful ring, right? The thought was pushed aside for the time being. Tonight was their night to relax and celebrate.

She was brought out of her thoughts by the feeling of Elliot's lips on her neck, easily finding her sweet spot. It amazed her how it felt like he had memorized a map of her body, naturally gravitating to the spots that drove her crazy. They indulged in a steamy makeout session when they first got back to his apartment, but he had put an end to it when he got a little too worked up. They drank some wine and snuggled up on the couch until her stomach growled, bringing them to their current wished that they had gone further, but she understood why Elliot wanted to wait. He had explained that despite their engagement, he was going to do this right. He wanted to take her out on two more dates before they went all the way. It was just another weird thing about their current relationship.

"El" She warned. "You're such a tease".

"Sorry" He mumbled against her neck. He pulled back a bit, observing his fiance. "I have a couple of questions actually".

"Shoot".

"I want to know what our next step is, and when we want to get married, and where we're going to live?"

"Anything else?" She joked.

"Nope, those will do for now".

"Let's tackle the wedding first, because I think that determines how fast everything else has to happen".

Moments like this reminded Elliot of the day he first met Olivia. He had expected her to take the backseat since it was her first day in the Special Victims Unit, but that's not what happened at all. She had a set plan the moment she arrived on the scene, and made sure that everyone else knew that. To some she may have come off as a bit bossy, but he knew that she was just doing her job. Her every move was calculated, even when she was put on the spot.

"When do you want to get married?"

"I was thinking that we could do a small ceremony two months from now".

He did the math in his head. "The end of December?" He asked, just to clarify.

"Yeah. Think about it, we would get married right at the end of the year. It'd mark the beginning of a new year, and the start of a new chapter".

He could see the twinkle in her eyes, the one that was only there when she was extremely passionate about something. She had a vision for their wedding, and he wanted to be everything she dreamed of. He wasn't sure exactly how long ago it had happened, but the main goal in his life was to give Olivia the happiness she deserved. Maybe that's why he was so willing to dive into this relationship head first.

"That's beautiful, Liv. I say let's do it".

He noticed that she was trying to bite back her grin, and he wanted to say something about it, but he was still scared of pushing her too far too fast. Even though this was her idea, Elliot knew that there was a chance that Olivia would try to run, because that's unfortunately what she does when relationships get complicated.

"We can pick an exact date later. Now we know that we have two months to get everything together. So, the next question is, where do you want to live?"

He loved how she made it sound so simple, as if they could just snap their fingers and there'd be a solution.

"Well, we want to have kids, so why don't we start looking at houses? I know that you've lived in the city your whole life, but it's not like we'll be far away".

Much to his surprise, she fully agreed with him. She told him that she wanted their kids to have room to play, and a yard to get dirty in. She really had thought everything through before asking him to marry her.

"Until then, why don't I move in with you? My lease is up next month so the timing really is perfect" Elliot suggested. Things were going well so far, almost too well.

"You know, I think that's actually enough for one night, don't you? It's been a busy day".

Olivia laughed. "Tell me about it. I'm exhausted. I barely slept at all last night".

"Why?" Elliot asked, genuinely concerned.

"I was thinking about what would happen today. I had a nightmare last night where you told me that I was desperate and you never talked to me again".

"That would never happen, Liv. We only went a couple of months without talking to each other when you were undercover in Oregon and I barely managed".

"Did I ever tell you that I was saying your name in my sleep while I was away? The first time someone said something to me about it was when we were in the hospital. Apparently I had been doing it every night for a month". She couldn't believe that she had just told him that. Her cheeks turned bright red.

"Hey, there's nothing to be embarrassed about here. I find it very sweet and I'm glad that you were thinking about me _almost_ as much as I was thinking about you".

That was enough for one day. He could tell that Olivia was getting overwhelmed, so he decided to change the subject.

"Are you tired?"

She nodded, letting out a soft yawn.

"I'll get you something to wear for bed".

She had completely forgotten that she was still wearing her dress. "Thank you".

He conveniently "had to get a drink" when it was time for her to change, which she appreciated. Elliot was doing his best to give her the space she needed. She knew that she made the right choice, but it was still overwhelming. So much had happened in one day and now she needed to rest and take it all in. Elliot seemed to be doing alright so far, but it would catch up to him eventually. They could handle it. They were well experienced when it came to working things out, especially when there was a decent amount of pressure added on top. Elliot knocked on his own bedroom door, which made her chuckle.

"Come in, El".

"Wow...you should wear my clothes more often".

"I agree. They are so comfy". She loved the sweatshirt he had given her. It was baggy and the sleeves were too long. He had given her a pair of gym shorts too, and she felt so free compared to the form fitting dress.

She laid down on what she had claimed as her side of the bed, pulling the covers on top of her. Elliot switched off the lights before settling in next to her. She could feel his eyes on her. It only took a moment for her to figure out why. She gave him some of the blanket, remembering that she would have to share.

"I can't promise that I won't take it back in my sleep" She warned.

"Liv, please don't take this the wrong way, but are you okay? I know a lot has happened today and I just want to make sure you feel good about it" Elliot asked with the gentlest tone she had ever heard him use.

"I feel very light right now. This huge weight that I've been carrying around for months has been lifted off my shoulders. I just need to rest and reset".

"Okay" Elliot said. "I just wanted to check on my best friend, fiance, and partner". He placed a gentle kiss on her forehead, running his fingers through her loose curls. "Get some sleep".

Elliot awoke a few hours later, shivering. He could see that Olivia had made a blanket mountain on top of herself. She was laying with her back facing him, curled up. He scootched over until his chest was against her back, spooning her. Even though he knew she would take it again, he tugged the blanket back into place, covering the both of them. Her hair was all over his face and the arm that he had snaked under her pillow was already losing feeling, but he was the happiest he had been in a long time, and that was because the sleeping woman next to him.


	4. Pumpkin

**AN: Hey there! This chapter is super sweet. Seriously, it could probably give you a cavity. The next one though...You'll see! I'm so happy that y'all seem to be interested. Let me know what you think! Love y'all!**

 **Also, I have been up for 26.5 ish hours and I tried to proofread, but I know that there will be mistakes. I apologize for that.**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Law and Order SVU or the characters.**

Olivia led Elliot to her, well their, apartment, holding the door open so he could get through with his bag. He had packed enough to last him the week, knowing that he wouldn't have much time to run over to his place. The reality of their situation started to get to Olivia, but she did her best to brush it aside. It was still early, leaving them the whole day to settle and enjoy each other's company. She felt gross wearing her dress and heels again. It was only a small step up from the walk of shame.

"I'm going to get a shower" She told him, leaving him in the living room.

Elliot sat on the couch, thinking about what he could do for Olivia. He wanted to show her that he agreed to marry her because he cared, and was invested in her happiness, not just because it would keep him from being lonely. At the same time, he had to do it in a way that wouldn't scare her. He turned on the tv, hoping to distract himself. The commercial gave him an idea.

Olivia had just exited the bathroom with a towel wrapped around her. She jumped at the sight of Elliot on her bed.

"Get dressed. I have an awesome day planned for us". He hopped off of the bed, going up to her and wrapping his arms around her. She looked surprised, but not uncomfortable. He kissed her on the forehead, taking in the smell of her shampoo. She was completely makeup free, and he had never seen her look more beautiful. She captured his lips, kissing him deeply, making him moan. He pulled back first, needing to breathe.

"Get ready" He repeated as he let her go. She jumped when he lightly slapped her butt through the towel. He left the room with a cocky smile on his face. She wasn't sure what got into him, but she didn't mind it. It only took a half hour for Olivia to get ready, choosing to only put on a little bit of makeup. Since she didn't know where they were going, she dressed in layers. She started with light wash jeans and a gray cami, adding a thick forest green cardigan on top. She finished it off with gray boots. Elliot would tell her if she needed to dress better. Her hair was up in a clip, leaving a few of the front pieces to frame her face.

"Is this okay?" She asked Elliot as she emerged from the bedroom.

"You look beautiful".

He grabbed her hand, leading her out the door.

"You could have just told me that you were hungry" Olivia teased as Elliot parked outside of their usual diner.

"This is only the first stop" Elliot explained. "We aren't going to be in the city so I figured we should eat now".

Olivia was curious about where they were going, but she knew that Elliot wouldn't tell her anyway.

"You're not even going to ask?"

She shook her head. "Nah. I'll let you have this one".

Olivia bit her lip while Elliot rattled off their order to the waitress, not really listening to what he was saying. Now that she was fully awake, she noticed the stubble on his cheeks. She had felt it earlier, but she hadn't taken in how it looked on him. Sexy was the first word that came to mind, followed by handsome. He was smiling at her, simply waiting for her to say something.

"You should let it grow" She said, completely forgetting to tell him what she was talking about. Her index finger ran down his jaw, enjoying the texture.

"You like the five o'clock shadow?"

She nodded. "Not normally, but on you…" She wasn't sure what happened to herself either. They were being so open right now that it partially scared her.

He reached up and put his hand over hers, bringing their joined hands to the table.

"Tell you what, I won't shave if you don't wear makeup".

"You're a piece of work" She huffed.

Elliot lifted her hand, placing a chaste kiss there.

"We'll see".

Their meal was mostly silent. They were both very comfortable and relaxed, which was exactly what they needed.

"Now that I'm more awake, where are we going?" Olivia questioned as she buckled.

"Nope. You'll have to wait until we get there. It's a bit of a drive though, so why don't we play a game?"

"What game?"

Elliot shrugged. "Well it looks like spin the bottle isn't an option, so does would you rather sound okay?"

Olivia swatted his arm, but smiled regardless. She agreed to play, mostly because she knew she'd be bored if not. A bit of a drive turned out to be nearly an hour and a half. Elliot parked the car outside of a little produce store that looked like a garage that had been converted into a store. They walked hand-in-hand, going around the store.

"Where are we-"

"Trust me" Elliot insisted. They were headed towards a tractor that had a trailer full of hay bales attached.

"Are we going on a hayride?"

Elliot could see the excitement in her eyes.

"Why are we the only ones here? It's a weekend".

"That's because they're closed on Sunday, but this happens to be my cousin's farm".

It was that moment that she realized that she knew very little about Elliot's family.

"Olivia, this is my cousin Matt. Matt, this is Olivia". Olivia extended her hand to Matt, shaking his. Elliot left out the fiance part, and she wondered if there was a reason for that.

"So this is Olivia. I've heard a lot about you. Enough with the intros, let's go to the pumpkin patch".

Elliot helped Olivia up onto the trailer, quickly settling next to her.

"What made you think of this?"

"A Halloween commercial that I saw while you were in the shower" He confessed. Luckily, Olivia found it funny.

"Well, this is very nice. I have never been on a hayride or to a pumpkin patch before".

He cupped her face, leaning in until their noses were touching.

"I'm glad you're happy, pumpkin". Never in a million years did she think that she'd like to be called pumpkin. Hearing it from Elliot though…

Matt looked back to find the couple in a passionate lip lock. They were in their own little world.

Olivia broke off the kiss, wanting to get the most out of her very first hayride.

"This is beautiful" She exclaimed as they went through some trees. The multitude of colors around them was breathtaking. A few minutes later they came to a stop. Olivia eagerly hopped off the trailer, making her way towards the pumpkins. Elliot had to jog to catch up to her.

"Alright, Liv, we need to get two medium sized pumpkins-"

"Or we can get seven small ones".

"Sure?" Elliot answered. He had no clue what she was planning. Matt didn't really care how many they took, as long as Elliot offer a little something in return.

"What's your idea?" He pressed.

She shook her head. "Trust me". She used his own words from earlier, making him smile.

"With my life" He mumbled.

It didn't take long to pick out their pumpkins. Once everything was loaded up, Matt drove them back. The ride back was spent the same way as the ride there, kissing and looking at the beautiful colors. Olivia insisted on carrying the pumpkins to the car while Elliot and Matt chatted.

"Thanks for everything, man. Liv and I had a great time".

"It's no problem. You two seem very happy together. Make sure you send the Mrs and I an invite to the wedding".

Elliot carried the last few pumpkins to the car with him, finding Olivia already buckled and ready to go.

Elliot watched as Olivia traced her pencil outline with the knife, finally cutting into the pumpkin. He had gutted them for her and popped the seeds into the oven for a few minutes. By the weird look she gave him, he could assume that she had never eaten toasted pumpkin seeds before. He tossed one in the air, thoroughly impressed when she caught it with her mouth.

"You can help me if you want" She offered. "All you have to do is follow the lines".

He grabbed himself a knife and a pumpkin. His had the letter "D" on it, and hers had "E". Interesting...Once they were done carving, Olivia put the pumpkins in order.

"Engaged" He read with a smile on his face.

"Yup, now go put on what you were wearing earlier".

They had changed into sweats when they first got back so they wouldn't get pumpkin guts all over their nicer clothes. They changed back into their clothes from earlier, meeting in the kitchen.

"Okay, take these down on the stoop and put them in order. I'll be down in a few".

Elliot had just finished arranging them when Olivia came out with a bunch of tealights and a college age boy with a camera next to her.

"Liam, this is my fiance Elliot. Liam is a photography student and he would like to take a few pictures of us for his class". Liam eagerly nodded.

"This is going to look so cool" The younger man gushed.

Elliot placed a tealight in each pumpkin and Olivia followed by lighting them. The sun was setting, giving the candles just enough darkness to glow. Liam put them in several different poses. Eventually, he told them to do whatever they wanted. Elliot scooped Olivia up in his arms, bridal style. He kissed her deeply, momentarily forgetting about the camera.

"You two are naturals" Liam complimented.

They finished their impromptu photo session with Elliot holding Olivia piggy back style. Liam showed them some of the shots, going on and on about how his professor would love them. He ran up to his apartment to print them a couple, even though he planned on editing them later. Unfortunately, they couldn't leave their creation on the steps, so they shifted in onto the sidewalk. If it was still there in the morning, cool. If it was gone, at least they had pictures.

"That was really fun, Liv. How'd you know he'd be up for it?"

"Liam has been nagging me to model for him for a year. I figured that he'd jump at the opportunity".

"I never expected you to be the engagement photo type, pumpkin".

"I'm not normally, but I thought it'd be fun if we both put a picture on our desks and just wait until the guys notice".


	5. Adjustments

**AN: Hello there! Thank you all so much for your feedback, follows, and favorites. I'll be doing most of my uploads around midnight for the next few weeks, just in case you were wondering. This chapter doesn't flow as well as the previous ones, but I don't think it's too bad. As usual, expect some errors. This may be surprising, but I do actually proofread, I'm just not good at it. *Sorry* I hope you enjoy and feedback is always welcomed. Love y'all!**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Law and Order SVU or the characters.**

"Hurry up! I have to pee" Olivia called through the bathroom door for the third time. Elliot had jumped in the shower before she got up, but now she was wide awake and feeling like her bladder would burst any moment. She pounded on the door, desperately hoping to hear the water shut off.

"Just come in! I'm covered in shaving cream right now" Elliot replied.

"Why are you-oh". She blushed as she realized why he would be shaving in the shower. "Just hurry up!"

"Liv, just come pee. I can't see you".

Olivia thought about it for a moment, but the fullness of her bladder reminded her of her limited time. She really didn't want to pee while Elliot was less than three feet away.

"Fine" She huffed. She pushed the door open, practically running to the toilet. Knowing that she would feel better if he couldn't hear her at all, Elliot began to sing.

 _Wise men say, only fools rush in_

 _But I can't help falling in love_

 _With you_

"As cute as that is, I really don't think the right time to serenade a woman is when she's trying to pee". She quickly finished and left the bathroom, getting herself ready for the day. Of course Elliot came out of the bathroom less than five minutes later with a smug grin on his face.

"Do you always take such long showers?" Olivia asked as she rummaged through her closest, looking for something appropriate for work. Her whole morning routine had been thrown off thanks to Elliot's half hour long shower. They didn't even have enough time for her to shower now. Once she was dressed, she pulled her hair up in a ponytail, hating how oily it felt.

"Liv, where's your iron?" Elliot asked from the living room, completely ignoring her question.

"We don't have time for you to iron, El. We have to leave now or we're going to be late!" She yelled as she grabbed her gun and badge out of the locker drawer of her bedside table.

"I can't go to work with my shirt looking at this" He said as he came into the bedroom with a very wrinkled shirt on.

"What'd you do? Roll it up in a ball?"

"It's been stuffed in my bag with all of my other clothes".

Olivia sighed. "I'm sorry, El. I'll clean out the closet tonight, but there's nothing we can do about that shirt now. Just change at work or something".

It was moments like this that made Elliot hate her bossy streak.

"Fine" He huffed.

"Did you just 'fine' me?"

"What if I did?"

She bit her cheek, trying to ignore the bait he had so obviously laid out for her. They didn't have time for this now.

"We'll talk about this later. We have to go".

*25 minutes later*

"Benson, Stabler, thank you for joining us" Cragen reprimanded as they took their seats. "John and Fin are talking to a witness. You two are doing paperwork until we catch another case".

"Great. First day back and we're stuck doing paperwork" Elliot complained as soon as Cragen returned to his office.

"I wonder why that is".

Elliot rolled his eyes at her sarcasm.

"It's not my fault you had no clue where your iron was" He tried to defend himself.

"It's not my fault it took you fifteen minutes to iron _one_ shirt".

He knew that he was playing with fire, but she was the one that lit the first match.

"What's this really about, Liv? Is this because I disrupted your normal routine, or could it be that I didn't sleep with you last night?"

She shushed him, reminding him that they were still at work.

"Stop it. Someone could walk in at any moment". She didn't want to talk about that at work. He was wrong anyway. Well, not totally wrong...She thought that after such a romantic day together that they would have a romantic night together, but Elliot had put an end to things right as they were getting more intense. She understood and hadn't complained, but deep down she was a bit disappointed.

Elliot stood up, shoving his chair in.

"Why do you care, Liv? They're going to find out soon enough anyway. You're the one that wanted those pictures, but you didn't even bring them. I think that you're mad that I didn't give it to you last night".

She shook her head. "You're wrong".

He leaned down so that he was speaking directly into her ear. "You're angry that you don't have all the control anymore".

She pushed her own chair back and stood so that they were face to face.

"You're crazy" She insisted. "I'm just upset that we were late this morning. What's _your_ problem, El?"

"Right now? You. You need to relax and just let things happen or there's no chance that this will work".

She bit her lip, choosing to walk away. Once she was alone in the cribs, she let the tears she had been holding in fall. Overwhelmed didn't even begin to describe how she was was only their third day together and they were already fighting.

"I'm so stupid" She cried into her hands. A gentle hand on her back made her jump, but the warmth of it was so comforting.

"I'm sorry that I was such an ass" Elliot said as he wrapped his arms around her. She shrugged him off of her, needing some space.

"See? This is what I was worried about" Elliot sighed.

"What?" She asked as she wiped away her tears.

"You are hell bent on keeping distance between us because you're scared and you want to be in control. You're pushing me away already, Liv. You start to let me in and then you shut me out again. I'm trying not to overwhelm you, but we have to get you out of your comfort zone".

"You do it too".

"Not having sex with you doesn't count" He retorted.

"Please explain the difference to me".

"I won't sleep with you _yet_ because we aren't ready for that. We need to figure out how to work as a couple before we take the next step".

"We're engaged!"

"And you freaked out about having to pee while I was in the shower where I couldn't see or hear you. Look, taking the step to move in together isn't always smooth and I didn't expect it to be. Olivia, we can make this work. We just have to be open and honest, and not run".

"Whatever". She stood up, but Elliot grabbed her hand, pulling her back down.

"It's not whatever, Liv. We need to be on the same page".

"I forgot you were a marriage expert since your first one failed so miserably".

She yanked her hand away before leaving the cribs.

"Hey, Liv. Where's Elliot? We just got another vic and thought that you two would want to go so you aren't stuck at your desks all day" John offered.

"Why don't you come with me? Elliot isn't feeling it today" She easily lied.

"Sure".

*Several hours later*

"That's a nice ring you've got there" John complimeneted.

Olivia closed her eyes, silently cursing herself for forgetting about the rock on her finger.

"So is that what's wrong with Elliot? Being a jealous ass?"

Olivia remained silent, not wanting to talk about it.

"It was a joke, Liv".

"I'm sorry John, I'm just having a bad day".

The rest of the work day was filled with awkward conversation and forced smiles from the couple. If Munch and Fin noticed, they were wise enough to not say anything. Olivia was more than relieved when it was time to go. At least they could try to make things better in private now.

"Hey El, do you mind if I drive?"

He silently tossed her the keys, getting into the passenger seat. They were headed in the opposite direction of her apartment, but Elliot decided not to question her about it. She eventually parked on the side of the road, explaining that they would have to walk a few blocks. Unlike the previous day, their hands were shoved into their pockets, keeping some distance between them as they walked. They came across a small park, and Elliot was surprised when Olivia turned into it. She made a beeline to a big tree in the back of the park, sitting on the ground beneath it. Elliot followed her lead, sitting so that they were facing each other.

"My mother and I used to live in that building right there" She said pointing to the building on the other side of the road. "There were a lot of days where my mom couldn't even look at me without crying, so I'd come here. I'd bring my homework or a book and just sit here, under this tree for hours. I actually brought my first boyfriend here. This is where I had my very first kiss". She pointed at a heart carved into the bark with "O+J" in it.

"We carved this one day and couldn't stop laughing at how our initials made OJ, or orange juice. The day my mother died, I sat out here for hours, just remembering it all. After we got done fighting, I wanted to come here. This place provides a lot of comfort for me".

Elliot could see the tears building in her eyes.

"You were right earlier about me opening up and pushing you away. I don't want to push you away, El, You are very special to me, Elliot, and the last thing I want is for you to think that I'm only concerned about sex and the things that I want. I want to let you in and give up some of that control".

Elliot moved over and wrapped his arms around her, kissing her forehead.

"Thank you so much for bringing me here. I know that this is a big deal. I'm sorry for being a prick earlier. I got so scared that you were going to run that I started pushing you myself".

"We're a mess" She mumbled as she turned into his chest. Elliot chuckled, knowing that she was right.

"I love you, Olivia".

He felt her tense up in his arms for a second, but she quickly relaxed again. Saying it now was a risk, but he had to tell her.

"I love you too". She leaned into him even more, smiling when his lips captured hers.

"We're going to make this work" He promised. "We'll start small. I'll cut my showers five minutes shorter and you'll make some room in the closet for me. Oh, and we'll buy another blanket because you ma'am are a thief".

Olivia laughed. "I agree with the last two things, but only five minutes shorter? Really? More like fifteen. I need to shower in the mornings too".

"We could always save time and water and shower together" He suggested with a wink. Olivia elbowed him, but smiled.

"We'd never get to work on time".

They sat together, simply enjoying the scenery and each other. It was getting chilly as the sun began to set.

"This place is beautiful...but we should probably get going". Elliot stood, helping Olivia up afterwards. They kissed once more before walking hand in hand to the car.

"Oh, John knows that I'm engaged".

"Are we bringing the pictures in tomorrow?" He asked.

"Yup. They'll figure it out eventually".

 **AN: Hi again! I realized that I've mentioned sex a lot more than I originally anticipated in this story. That is all.**


	6. Flu and Bridal Magazines

Elliot was beginning to adjust to the cool air against his skin at night. No matter what he did, Olivia always managed to get the covers all to herself. They really needed to buy another thick blanket for him, even though he doubted that he would be able to keep that one either. Being chilly at night was a small price to pay for the ability to sleep right next to the woman he loved every night. When he woke, he found Olivia curled up in a ball next to him shaking, despite the fact that she had the blanket fully wrapped around her slim frame. Upon closer inspection, he saw beads of sweat on her forehead. He gently placed his hand on her forehead, trying to check her temperature.

"You're burning up pumpkin" He sighed. He slid his hand into her hair, massaging her scalp. She groaned in her sleep, trying to push against his hand. He couldn't tell if he was helping or hurting her at this point. A coughing fit shook her whole body, waking her in the process.

"What time is it?" She groaned, rubbing the sleep from her eyes.

"Early. The alarm doesn't go off for another half hour. You don't sound good".

"I'm okay. I just need a drink".

"Liv, you have a fever and your throat hurts. You have the flu".

She shook her head. "No I don't".

Elliot couldn't help laughing. "Yes, you do. I think you should take the day off".

"And be sick and miserable all by myself? No thanks". She started to cough again, groaning at the burning feeling in her throat.

"I'll ask if I can have the day off too. I'll give very few details".

He felt her forehead again, as if it was going to feel any cooler after three minutes. "Do you have any flu medicine?"

"No. I have DayQuil though".

"I'll get it. Then I'm calling Cragen".

"No" Olivia whined, kicking the blanket off of her. "I'm not sick, I promise. Look, I'll take the medicine and then we'll go to work. If I start feeling worse, I'll tell you. I'll go home early. I just want to do my job".

Elliot knew that letting her go in was a bad idea. She had a fever and her throat already sounded hoarse. He didn't know what to do. They agreed to be more open with each other, but that didn't mean that he could take over and tell her what to do. The key to their success was to compromise as often as possible. If that meant Olivia went into work sick, then so be it.

The had arrived at the precinct twenty minutes early, enjoying the last bit of quiet before the hustle and bustle began. Olivia smirked at the picture on her desk, loving the fact that Fin and John hadn't noticed it yet. The best place to hide something was in plain sight. She had the one where Elliot was holding her bridal style as they kissed. He had one of the pictures that Liam had posed them for. They were sitting next to each other, looking into each other's eyes. Both perfectly expressed the love they felt.

"El, come here" She ordered.

He obediently approached her, sitting on the edge of her desk. "Ready to go home?"

"What? No. I just wanted a kiss before the guys get here" She explained. She leaned towards him, but he backed away the slightest bit.

"You're sick" He defended.

"I am not" She insisted. "My throat feels fine". She leaned in again and Elliot leaned back again, almost falling off of her desk. Olivia giggled, gently shoving him. "That's what you get for being mean".

"Fine". He placed his hands on her hips, coaxing her to stand so that he could kiss her properly. "If you get me sick" He mumbled before kissing her softly. He scrunched up his face, quickly pulling back.

"You didn't brush your teeth after taking that DayQuil".

She shook her head, laughing at the disgust on his face.

"Sorry, babe, I forgot".

"Babe?" He question with an amused smile,

"You call me pumpkin".

She stepped away from him as soon as she heard the sound of footsteps, trying to act natural. They definitely weren't trying to hide their relationship, but revealing it would ruin some of the fun.

Two hours later, Elliot could definitely see the struggle on Olivia's face. Her cough had come back, but she was trying to keep it quiet, which was only worse for her throat. Then the sneezing started. Munch had playfully tossed her a box of tissues, but she wound up actually needing them. Of course, she hadn't made a peep about not feeling well. Elliot knew that she would be angry at him later, but right now he needed to intervene. He stood and walked over to her desk, placing his hand on her forehead.

"Elliot, would you please-"

"You're burning up. You feel warmer than earlier, you're coughing, and you're sneezing. We're leaving" He ordered. He silently went to Cragen's office, leaving the guys to stare at Olivia. She simply shrugged.

"He's always been overprotective" She explained. She retrieved her purse, badge, and gun before locking her desk drawers. Elliot grabbed her hand, leading them out of the squad room.

"Gross, man. Liv left all her used tissues on her desk" Fin said as he grabbed a clean tissue to throw the others out. A new picture on her desk caught his eye as he cleaned up the mess. "Munch, Liv and Elliot are engaged!"

"Good job Fin, very observant".

"You knew?"

John nodded. "I saw the ring on Liv's finger the other day. Elliot would never let another man get that far with her".

00000000000000000000000000000000

"Okay, so we have tea, fever reducers, cough drops, and tissues. Anything else I can get you?" Elliot asked as he placed each of the items on her bedside table.

Olivia was already changed into pajamas and propped up in bed, letting Elliot take care of her. She agreed to rest, but she couldn't just sit around and do nothing all day.

"Can you do me one more favor and grab the basket of magazines out of my closet?"

He did as he was asked, setting the basket down next to her on the bed. "Are these all bridal magazines?"

She blushed, making him chuckle. "I told you that I had a lot of time to think about this before I asked you".

He settled in next to her, taking half of the magazines with him. He noticed that there was an item or two circled in each one.

"There used to be more. These are all the magazines that had ideas that I liked. The rest were thrown out" Olivia admitted.

"Wow. Let's just hope you don't go all Bridezilla on me".


End file.
